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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29563800">What Spades Needs</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowyWolff/pseuds/SnowyWolff'>SnowyWolff</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hetalia: Axis Powers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Human, Cardverse, Fate &amp; Destiny, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:00:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,806</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29563800</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowyWolff/pseuds/SnowyWolff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Queen of Spades is paid a special visit by the Joker.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>England/Prussia (Hetalia)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>What Spades Needs</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For PrUK Week 2021- Day 3: Cardverse</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tradition tells that Spades was the first of the four Suits to be established by the Fates, bringing with itself a rigid class system and an even more rigid tradition in regard to the choice of the rulers that resided within the private walls of the Crystal Palace. Because while the Fates might decide the rulers whenever they deemed the right person had proven themselves within their lifetime, the nobility <em>only</em> accepted rulers chosen from the upper classes and refused to consider anyone else worthy. This caused the seats to remain empty for years, decades even, and the divide between the classes grew and grew.</p>
<p>That is, until the Fates decided enough was enough, refused to Choose among the upper classes, leaving the thrones empty, and sent a Joker down to fetch the young man, the son of a trader Chosen to be Queen and bring him to the palace to fill the throne room that had been devoid of monarchs for over fifty years, though it was only him, and no sign of his fated advisers nor his royal counterpart.</p>
<p>Arthur couldn’t have been any less thrilled.</p>
<p>The nobility, too, was keen to rid themselves of him, but soon found their efforts to be in vain, for the Joker thwarted any and all attempts, protecting the young Queen from harm as he studied politics, economics, domestic and foreign affairs and relations, warfare, and magic.</p>
<p>One evening found the Queen slumped back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling blankly. He had locked himself in the Queen’s Bedroom—<em>his</em> bedroom, he supposed—poring over treaties and histories and anything that could distract him from the dreadful stuffiness of the nobility. Since they had found it impossible to have him removed, they had thrown over the wheel, sucking up to him in whatever way possible instead.</p>
<p>It was nauseating.</p>
<p>“What a glum look for a Queen to wear,” said the Joker, materializing above Arthur, peering into his face curiously.</p>
<p>Arthur exhaled tiredly, closing his eyes. “I apologize then. My station brings me little joy.”</p>
<p>Gilbert hummed in acknowledgement, and when Arthur opened his eyes again, the man was crouched on his desk, his tail falling over the side of it, twitching slightly. From so close, Arthur could see the red in his dark, maroon eyes, creating a stark contrast with his pale lashes.</p>
<p>“Would you dislike it less if your King was found?” Gilbert asked, cocking his head to the side as he observed Arthur’s reaction.</p>
<p>“If it would mean their ire would be spread between us both, I would, at the very least, feel less lonely.” It hurt his pride to admit, but considering the Joker had been his only companion in the past three years, he had little pride to speak of anyway.</p>
<p>“You’re lonely?” Gilbert looked surprised. At Arthur’s dry look, he rubbed his chin and furrowed his brows in thought. “But <em>I</em><em>’m</em> here.”</p>
<p>“An immortal being sent down by the Fates to take the sticks out of the nobility’s asses doesn’t really count as proper company I don’t think,” Arthur muttered snippily, pushing his chair away from the table noisily and moving toward the balcony doors in a flurry of robes.</p>
<p>It was technically too cold to step outside without at least a coat, winter lurking on the horizon, but he didn’t care to bother, pulling his long robes more tightly around himself. He leaned on the marble balustrade, the view of the elaborate gardens stretching out before him. Beautiful, pristine, and perfect. Everything in this Palace was.</p>
<p>Resting his cheek against the cool marble soothed little of his anguish, neither did the shift in the air that indicated Gilbert had joined him.</p>
<p>“But I am here,” Gilbert repeated after a long while, continuing their conversation. “I exist, Arthur. Is that not company?”</p>
<p>Arthur closed his eyes. “Only when we’re alone.”</p>
<p>He sighed softly when Gilbert’s fingers threaded through his hair.</p>
<p>“I don’t think it would be a good look on the Queen of Spades to have a Joker hovering over his shoulder all the time. They might claim you’re cursed.” Gilbert’s voice carried amusement.</p>
<p>“It’s not a good look on the Queen of Spades to be the son of a trader, to be without his King and advisers, to be <em>me</em>.”</p>
<p>“I think you’re a very good look.”</p>
<p>Arthur finally glanced up at him, if only to shoot him an unimpressed look. Gilbert smiled from where he straddled the balustrade, swinging his left leg back and forth from where it dangled over the edge.</p>
<p>“Do the Fates pay you for bad pickup lines too?”</p>
<p>“If only.” Gilbert pouted, twisting a strand of Arthur’s hair around his finger. “They don’t pay me at all, actually. Should I start a union?”</p>
<p>“Don’t start.” Arthur reached over to push him off, extremely done with the upper class’ demands for the subjugation of the lower ones and not needing Gilbert to meddle with any of that on top.</p>
<p>Gilbert took it in stride, allowing himself to fall sideways off the balcony and doing a little flip to turn the right side up. He floated in front of Arthur, stretching his arms above his head before crossing his legs underneath him, sitting in the air.</p>
<p>“The Fates chose you for a reason, Arthur,” Gilbert said seriously. “You’re exactly what Spades needs.”</p>
<p>“Why? How?” Arthur pushed himself up, leaning forward desperately. “I am only one man, Gilbert. One untrained, uneducated man. How could I possibly be what Spades needs?”</p>
<p>Gilbert gave him an undecipherable look before vanishing in a puff of smoke.</p>
<p>Arthur waited for a moment with baited breath before stomping angrily back into his chambers. Fine. He didn’t need some stupid Joker anyway.</p>
<p>He almost jumped out of his skin when warm arms encircled his waist. Gilbert blew on his ear, laughing throatily.</p>
<p>“You—!”</p>
<p>“You have a strong mind, Arthur.” Gilbert buried his face against his neck, his arms tightening around his waist. “Spades needs a Queen who will stand up for the people of his Kingdom, who will fight tooth and nail for the things he believes are right, who will be an example to his future King, his advisers and his people.”</p>
<p>Arthur stared at the elaborate sculpting above the door as his hand came to rest on Gilbert’s arms, not knowing what to reply.</p>
<p>Gilbert’s voice dropped to a whisper, “Spades <em>needs</em> you, Arthur. You might not see your merit, your worth, now, but I promise you that you will be loved.”</p>
<p>“Loved…” Arthur echoed numbly. “By my people?”</p>
<p>Gilbert chuckled lowly. It sent shivers down Arthur’s spine.</p>
<p>“Of course. You already have mine, after all.”</p>
<p>Arthur exhaled a quiet laugh, hiding it behind his hand. Gilbert took it as his cue to slide around Arthur, resting one hand on his waist while the other grabbed Arthur’s wrist to remove it from his face.</p>
<p>“Do the Fates know you’re playing favourites?” Arthur asked, smiling as Gilbert dipped his head down, their noses brushing.</p>
<p>“Well, they did assign me to you. I’m just doing my duty.” Gilbert grinned slyly.</p>
<p>“Right. Naturally.” Rolling his eyes in exasperation, Arthur laughed into the kiss Gilbert pressed against his lips. He hummed in contentment, arms wrapped around the Joker’s neck, happy to share these small little kisses with him.</p>
<p>A knock sounded on the door, and Arthur broke apart from Gilbert reluctantly, straightening his vest and intricate robes as he turned toward the attendant bowing his way into the room. A shift in the air told him that Gilbert had vanished again.</p>
<p>“Your Majesty, the Clubian delegation has arrived.” The attendant kept his eyes trained on the floor.</p>
<p>Ah. He’d forgotten about that. He made a face, not at all feeling up to acting his role, not when all of court would be whispering behind his back, but equally his pride refused to back down. He’d be Queen, with his back straight and his head held high, and force court to accept his presence.</p>
<p>“Very well,” he said airily. “Please make sure they are welcomed warmly and served royally. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”</p>
<p>The servant bowed as he acknowledged the orders and shuffled back out of the room, the door falling shut with a quiet click.</p>
<p>Gilbert draped himself against Arthur’s back, flopping his arms over his shoulders. “Would you like me to cause a ruckus?”</p>
<p>Stooping slightly under his weight, Arthur sighed and shook his head. “I would certainly <em>like</em> that, but it’s important to establish good relations with Clubs; King Ivan is too valuable an ally to snub.”</p>
<p>Blowing a raspberry right by Arthur’s ear, and avoiding being swatted by vanishing and reappearing in front of him, stretching his legs with a lazy yawn as he floated a few inches from the ground.</p>
<p>“So bor<em>ing</em>,” he whined and, with another puff of smoke, flopped heavily onto Arthur’s bed.</p>
<p>Arthur looked at him dryly, making his way over to give Gilbert the full effect of his displeasured expression.</p>
<p>Gilbert just booped his nose with a kissy noise, and Arthur sighed in exasperation, leaning down to kiss Gilbert one last time.</p>
<p>“I’ll come entertain you later,” he murmured.</p>
<p>“If I haven’t died of boredom.” Gilbert stuck out his tongue as Arthur rolled his eyes, though Gilbert grasped his arm to prevent him from leaving quite yet, looking at him with a rare bout of seriousness. “I meant what I said, Arthur. Spades needs you. You’ll bring prosperity and wealth to this land.”</p>
<p>It would be so easy to take Gilbert’s word for it, but Arthur knew Gilbert had little knowledge of what the Fates actually had in store for the future. He might have been sent by them, but Jokers were loose canons with no regard for any fate, and the fact he was so intimately involving himself with one could be all sorts of disastrous.</p>
<p>But… as it were, Arthur liked the company, and Gilbert was a refreshing change to the dreadfully stuffy aristocrats. And since the Joker was so convinced of Arthur’s apparent, latent, prowess, he allowed himself to be swayed, if only for today.</p>
<p>He smiled softly at Gilbert, who lapped it up eagerly. “Then I should better go downstairs and subject myself to my duty as Queen.”</p>
<p>Gilbert pressed a kiss to the inside of his wrist, over the small crowned spade burned into his skin to condemn him as Queen, and allowed Arthur his hand back.</p>
<p>When he reached the door, he glanced back to find Gilbert already gone. He couldn’t help the derisive snort. It was too typical of him.</p>
<p>Taking a deep, steadying breath, he pushed his shoulders back and schooled his expression into something appropriately regal and haughty, calmly heading down the large marble stairs—heading down toward whatever destiny was laid before him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A little belated, but hopefully still enjoyable :')</p>
<p>I have Emotions about Arthur as the Queen of Spades and I wish I had the inspiration to give him the attention he deserves</p></blockquote></div></div>
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